Theropods Wiki
Register
Advertisement

Allosaurus was a large theropod from the late Jurassic(about 145-155 million years ago). Allosaurus has been

Allosaurus

Allosaurus

Allosaurus sp.
Name meaning: Different Lizard
Area: North America, Africa, Europe
Period: Late Jurassic
Diet: Sauropods (possibly), stegosaurs, small ornithopods
Length: 10.5-12 m (35-39 ft)
Height: 4.5 m (15 ft)
Weight: 3-6 tons

found in North America, Europe, and Africa. This makes it a very wide ranging dinosaur. It's also the most commonly found large theropod from the Jurassic.

Description []

Allosaurus was your basic theropod. It had a large head and a number of sharp teeth. It's arms were long and each finger was tipped with a 6 to 7 inch claw. Allosaurus had long, powerful back legs. Scientists estimate allosaurus could have hit over 20 miles per hour. Like it's cousins, Allosaurus also had crests on it's head, one above each eye.

Size[]

Allosaurus varied some in overall size. The smallest specimens are roughly 35 feet long, stand just under 15 feet tall, and weigh an estimated 3 to 6 tons.

Allo Size

Allosaurus size comparison

Bite Force[]

Allosaurus had a somewhat weak "standard" bite force. It's estimated to have bitten down with roughly 1,000 to 1,500 pounds per square inch. However, Allosaurus was able to open it's jaws very widely. It would then swing it's upper jaw down in a slashing action. T


Allosaurus would have been one of the top predators of it's time and area. Other carnivores were present, but none were as common as Allosaurus. It probably hunted in small packs to bring down large prey like sauropods. Stegosaurs and iguanodonts would also have been on the menu though. 

Allosaurus pack

Allosaurus pack hunting

In Popular Culture[]

Allosaurus was one of the first large theropods ever found. Because of this, it's been in the media for a long time. A number of movies have featured Allosaurus, along with many documentaries. Walking With Dinosaurs, Jurassic Fight Club, and 'Planet Dinosaur are just a few of the documentaries that show Allosaurus. Many books have also featured it. Several dinosaur related video games have Allosaurus in them too. You can also find the Allosaurus in the movie 'JURASSIC PARK' As well.

Allosaurus

Allosaurus as seen in Jurassic Fight Club

See Also[]

Allosauroidea

Advertisement